History of Roscoe

George C. Buik and John P. O'Connell were two young entrepreneurs who in 1921 thought they saw a market niche in rapidly industrializing Chicago. As smokestacks blossomed and the work force grew in that booming decade, there was a growing demand for someone – other than the wife at home – to launder work clothes. They pooled their resources and the Roscoe Overall Laundry was born. More than eight decades later, its name long since changed to The Roscoe Company, now moved to Harrison and Central Park alongside the Eisenhower, it is now owned and operated by Jim Buik, grandson of founder George Buik, leading Roscoe into the third generation of the company.

As a locally owned and operated industrial laundry, Roscoe team members understand the Chicago marketplace and the needs of their customers. Roscoe takes pride in the image enhancing and money saving benefits their products deliver to a wide variety of customers with unparalleled responsiveness by a dedicated service team.

They have also regularly expanded their products and services to meet the needs of their customers, greatly expanding their line of uniforms, from traditional uniforms to executive wear – from the shop floor to the board room. Using the best quality and largest variety of mats in the marketplace, Roscoe offers a complete mat system to reduce dirt and wear in office areas, and increase safety and comfort in work areas. They also offer a variety of facility services, such as room deodorizers, paper and soap products, and continual roll towels, as well as linen services, such as aprons and bar towels.

The company recently launched a new branding campaign. While Roscoe historically distinguished themselves in the market with their approach to service, their competitive edge emanated from the heart. Thus, the old Roscoe slogan, "Delivering a better company image" gave way to "Take Pride." Similarly, the company logo, appearing dated with block style lettering positioned over waves symbolizing water, was phased out. It was replaced by the image of a lion on a bright jungle-like background.

"The lion is regal, symbolic of a company with great people who take pride in doing a good job for our customers," Owner Jim Buik says. At the same time, that image is aggressive and dominant. A lion dominates its territory, so as a corporate icon, the big cat reflects a business on top of its game. When viewed in conjunction with the new slogan, Roscoe's lion conveys dignity and self-respect.

Roscoe's dominance is exemplified by its pioneering spirit to incorporate technologies and processes that are not only good for their customers but also for the environment. Utilizing modern day best practices in recycling and reuse since its inception in 1921, Roscoe was a pioneer in the 1970s when the push for cleaner water and more responsible chemical usage was first becoming a sensitive public policy issue. The company was the first industrial laundry in the nation to implement a wastewater pretreatment system, and has worked internally and with suppliers to strengthen its conservation efforts – earning the Governor's Pollution Prevention Award for solid waste reduction.

You, too, can "Take Pride" in calling on Roscoe to meet your uniform, mat and facility needs. Roscoe will partner with you in enhancing your company image, and you can "Take Pride" in enlisting one of the "greenest" launderers, in turn increasing your company's conservation efforts. Call us and we'll show you how!